Tubular hair curler with openings and protrusions thereabout



Jan. 10, 1967 N c. F. HUTCHEON 3,297,042

TUBULAR HAIR CURLER WITH OPENINGS AND PROTRUSIONS THEREABOUT Filed April14, 1966 IN VEN TOR. CHARLES F. HUTCHEON WMJ I1. 15;.

ATTORNEY United rates Patent Cfifice 3,297,042 TUBULAR HAIR CURLER WITHUPENINGS AND PROTRUSIGNS THEREABQUT Charles F. I-Iutcheon, RoslynHeights, N.Y., assignor to Forest Plastics, Inc, Westhury, N.Y. FiledApr. 14, was, Sci. No. 542,629 2 Qlairns. (Cl. 132-40) This inventionrelates to hair curlers in general and in particular to tubular haircurlers having a plurality of outwardly directed hair-grippingprojections.

Curlers are used by women to achieve a wave in their hair where anatural wave either does not exist or where its appearance is dictatedby current fashion. A tuft of hair is moistened and is wrapped aroundthe curler. Upon drying, the hair shrinks and assumes a wavy form. Manyhair curlers of different sizes, shapes and function are currentlyavailable. Some of the prior art hair curlers that are known tostructurally approximate the present invention will now be brieflydescribed.

The present invention requires none of the assembly steps essential tothe prior art. A plastic material such as polypropylene, celluloseacetate, polyethylene or cellulose butyrate, is extruded in the form ofa thin-walled tube. As the tube comes from an extruder it is perforatedby radially positioned harpoons. Upon entering the wall of the tube, theharpoons form the apertures and also tear the material in several placesabout the periphery of the aperture to define petals. When the harpoonsare withdrawn, some material is pulled outwardly to define exposed edgeson the petals. Axial movement of the extruded tube may be employed todrive the harpoons into and out of the wall of the hair curler, so thatauxiliary drive means for the perforating devices is not necessarilyrequired.

The perforations formed by the harpoons are petalshaped, and extendradially outward from the outer surface of the hair curler body. Eachaperture so formed is defined by a number of ridgelike segments. Usuallytwo to four petals are formed, so that there are four to eighthair-engaging surfaces. The apertures are formed continuously at thesame rate as the tube is being extruded. Therefore, complicated timingmechanisms are not required.

In view of the foregoing, it is an object of this invention to providean improved plastic hair curler.

It is another object to provide a low cost hair curler having aplurality of hair-gripping protrusions formed on the outside surfacethereof.

A further object is to provide a hollow, thin-walled hair curler havinguniformly placed apertures and hair-gripping protrusions positionedabout the apertures.

These and other features, objects and advantages of the invention will,in part, be pointed out with particuarity and will, in part, becomeobvious from the following more detailed description of the inventiontaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which forms anintegral part thereof.

In the various figures of the drawing like reference charactersdesignate like parts.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a hair curler embodying the features ofthis invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the hair curler shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a typical aperture formed in the wall ofthe hair curler;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are typical plan and sectional elevational views,respectively, taken through one of the apertures in the hair curlerwall;

FIG. 6 is a schematic side elevational view of the apparatus used in themethod comprising this invention;

3,297,942 Patented Jan. 10, 1967 FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional viewtaken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is another transverse sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG.6;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged detail View of a typical perforating Wheel; and

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of the perforating means used with thisinvention.

Referring now to the drawing and in particular to FIGS. 1-5, it will beseen that hair curler 10 is comprised of a tubular body portion 12. Aplastic material such as polyethylene, polypropylene, cellulose acetateor cellulose butyrate, has been found convenient to use, since it mayreadily be extruded. The body portion of the hair curler is providedwith a number of longitudinal rows of perforations 14. In the embodimentillustrated there are eight rows, but it should be clearly understoodthat more or less rows may be used depending upon the diameter of thecurler and the number of holes desired.

Perforations 14 are clearly shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. Therein it may beseen that each perforation or aperture is comprised of a plurality (fourare illustrated) of petals 16, each having ridgelike edges 18. When thehair is wound on the curler, the ridges will snare the hair as it isbeing wound and will securely hold the hair to the curler body.

The method of forming the hair curler described above is shown in FIGS.6-10. Conventional extruding apparatus Zil delivers a tubular length ofplastic material first to a cooling tank 21 and then to the perforatingheads 22a and 22b. In the embodiment illustrated the perforating meansare comprised of a number of wheels 24 angularly and axially spaced fromeach other. In FIGS. 7 and 8 particularly, it may be seen that thewheels are angularly displaced from each other by an arc of 45. Forconvenience the wheels are illustrated in two axially separated banks,although it should be understood that the wheels may all be in one bank.The wheels in each bank, as illustrated, are apart from each other, andthe banks are out of phase with each other by a 45 angle. Suitable shaftmeans 26 are used to rotatably journal the wheels in the perforatingheads. It is also within the scope of this invention to have all thewheels geared together. Furthermore, it is within the scope of thisinvention to provide means for radially adjusting the position of thewheels to accommodate different diameter hair curlers.

The periphery of each wheel is provided with a number of radiallyoriented harpoons 28 as shown. in FIGS. 9 and 10. It is contemplatedthat the harpoons be radially adjustable within each wheel as analternative to radially adjusting the position of the wheels asdescribed above. The harpoon has a sharply pointed outer end 30 and atransverse face 32 inward of the pointed end. The transverse face isjoined to the body portion 34 of the harpoon by a short, tapered section36. Thus as the pointed end of the harpoon enters the wall, an aperturewill be formed therein. The harpoons pierce the wall at least to thedepth of the transverse face thereof. This usually tears the materialaround the aperture to define several petals. When the harpoon iswithdrawn the transverse face tends to pull the material outwardly aboutthe aperture to form the petals 16 and ridges 18, shown in FIGS. 3, 4and 5.

It is particularly noteworthy that auxiliary means for driving theperforating apparatus is not required. The tube is axially pulled fromthe extruding apparatus by the extrusion takeoff and, as it passes theperforating means, will cause rotation of the harpoon-containing wheels.In effect, the extruded tube drives the Wheels. Continued movement ofthe tube after a particular harpoon has been driven through the wallcause the wheels to rotate whereby the harpoon is withdrawn and the nextharpoon is inserted.

Although not specifically illustrated, it is to be understood that theconcept of this invention includes the use of perforating means otherthan the harpoons described. For example, the curler could be pressedagainst an internal cylinder having radially extending needles.Alternatively, an expandable collet having radially extending needlescould be used to form the perforations. Regardless of the structureused, the essential feature of this invention is that petals havingridge-like hair engaging edges are formed about each aperture.Accordingly, it is apparent that existing apparatus that is adapted topunch holes in hair curlers may be used provided means such as harpoons,needles, etc. are included for forming the petalshaped apertures withhair gripping ridges.

The hair curler, by virtue of its plastic construction, is lightweightand may be worn in comfort. It is substantially non-deformable so thatthe hair may be tightly wrapped thereabout. The hair curler may beformed at very limited additional expense inasmuch as complicateddriving and timing means are not required for the perforating apparatus.The formation of the apertures and ridges is continuous at the samespeed as the extrusion process. As the hair is wound on the curler bodythe ridges defined by the sides of the petals grip the hair.

Having thus disclosed the best embodiment of the invention presentlycontemplated, it is to be understood that various changes andmodifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved hair curler comprising:

(a) a tubular body member having a plurality of apertures formed in thewall thereof;

(b) at least two petals positioned about each of the apertures, saidpetals extending from the outer surface of said body member, each ofsaid petals being defined by irregular edges.

2. The device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said body member issubstantially non-deformable.

References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS 853,642 10/1952Germany. 536,547 5/1941 Great Britain. 879,632 10/1961 Great Britain.

ROBERT E. MORGAN, Acting Primary Examiner.

L. W. TRAPP, Assistant Examiner.

1. AN IMPROVED HAIR CURLER COMPRISING: (A) A TUBULAR BODY MEMBER HAVINGA PLURALITY OF APERTURES FORMED IN THE WALL THEREOF; (B) AT LEAST TWOPETALS POSITIONED ABOUT EACH OF THE APERTURES, SAID PETALS EXTENDINGFROM THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID BODY MEMBER, EACH OF SAID PETALS BEINGDEFINED BY IRREGULAR EDGES.